Ettiquette?

[TSDforChrist]

How seriously do you guys take your ettiquite? As a martial artist, do you follow traditional things about how you treat your seniors and instructor? Things like dining out - do you stand until your seniors are seated? Do you order in order of seniority? What about pouring drinks, or correspondance?

I try to follow some of these things, for example, it's very annoying (not really, ) for me to post on these boards because I have to check and see if Master Powelette has posted before me - If he has, it is disrespectful for me to put "master" in front of my name.

Does anyone else take it even this seriously?

[karatekid1975]

I'm kind of in between #1 and #2. When the dojang has an outing, we do not eat before our master instructor does, unless he says otherwise. And we follow ettiquite rules in the dojang to the fullest.

But if I see him in the grocery store, I say hi, and give him a "half-baked" bow, give him a handshake, then act normally as I would treat a westerner. I don't mean any disrespect by it, though (not intentionally, anyways).

[ninjanurse]

Etiquette happens to be one of the precepts of my system, therefore, I place it in high regard. Even if it wasn't a precept I feel that I am bound by the traditions and spirit in which I was taught. Call me "old Skool" !

[EternalRage]

Tradition is good, but take it too far and your back will be the only thing hurting from your training session because you spend have your time bowing. I think certain things are proper, such as not eating until senior eats or not sitting till they sit because these things are actually from Asian culture.

Its silly only when you have things like where you have to call the head instructor "eternal most powerful holiest of holy grandmaster of everything that is good and proper" and then bow 342943092480 times (or something similar to this extreme...)

[Myst]

I take etiquette very seriously, but probably only because it was "pounded" into me at a young age. We're not super-extremely formal in the dojang; we call our elders or senior belts sir or maam, and we call our head instructor Sah Bum Nim. We bow when we enter and exit the dojang, but that's about it. Outside of the dojang, I still bow to my instructor when I see him and address him as Sah Bum Nim, but its a little more casual. When he calls on the phone though, I always find myself unconsciously standing up and pacing nervously...

[Kaminari]

Myst-- same here. When I get a call from Sensei, I'm usually up and pacing, nervously. Don't know why that is, though.

[Slydermv]

Our instructor is a little bit younger so alot of the tradition and bowing and terms aren't used other then calling him master or sir. He just stresses to the higher belt students to lead by example.

When the lower belts see you act in a respectful mannor, they follow.

He dosen't have any specific rules per se, more of a general pay attention and don't screw around, you're here to train attitude.

I've been out in a social setting with him and a few other on one or two occasions, and he tells everyone to call him by his first name, but I can't do it... it's wierd.... heh.

[JaseP]

I try to follow some of these things, for example, it's very annoying (not really, ) for me to post on these boards because I have to check and see if Master Powelette has posted before me - If he has, it is disrespectful for me to put "master" in front of my name.

If you are a Fourth Dan in TSD or higher, and are permitted to wear the Ko Dan Di (Master's Belt), then you are a Master, and should not feel any inclination one way or another about putting "Master" before your name...

It is not a breach of ettiquete to do so...

The protocol and etiquette are very important, but should not be taken to extreme. For instance, when I first made my 4th Dan (Ko Dan Ja ranking), and students would not bow to me at my instructor's school (if I wasn't in uniform, for instance),... I would get offended. I don't anymore. My wife will get offended for me if she sees it happen, and I just tell her, "It doesn't matter to me,... I'm humble." I predict she will be the same way that I am a couple of years into her Master's ranking...

The protocol and etiquette are there to make teaching of the arts orderly. You can't have martial arts instruction in chaos and disorder,... things will not get taught and injury will happen. Additionally, it is there to help spill over into a person's everyday life, to make them more polite and disciplined in society. However, the discipline and etiquette should not be there to be an end in and of itself, for vanity's sake. If it gets to that point, then it is too much.

[ninjanurse]

Bowing to a senior should be an obligation whether they have earned the respect of the rank or not. Humility aside, I think that it sets the wrong example to allow disrespect and such matters should be addressed regradless of your motives. Senior students should correct lower belts for lapses in ettiquette to the Master Instructor (or any higher ranking belt)...a failure to do so may be a sign that they have not been given a proper example to follow and reflects highly on their instructor. Of course, this all depends on the traditions at your school as some are not as formal as others.

[TSDforChrist]

Actually, Master Powellete, if you consider these message boards as "correspondance" it is technically disrespectful for me to claim any TSD rank after you have spoken (i.e. it can now be considered addressed to you as well) since you are my senior.

No, its not really a big deal, I was just using it to illustrate how far it could be taken.

And I still will do it out of respect.

In Christ,

Phil Stewart